Thursday, September 29, 2011

Poet in New York by Pig Iron Theatre Company at the Strayhorn

KST Presents

Pig Iron Theatre Company

Poet in New York

September 30 – October 1 (60 mins)



**October 1 performance is performed in Spanish.


"A stunning performance…the poignancy and humor he can almost simultaneously create make Lorca’s hopes and disillusioned dreams come alive." -- The Herald (Glasgow)


Dito van Reigersberg of Pig Iron Theatre Company pays homage to Spanish poet, playwright and theater director Federico García Lorca in this tour de force one-man play.


Poet takes place in 1929 as a broken-hearted Lorca arrives in New York City to find a whirlwind of Harlem blues, looming skyscrapers, and stock market disasters.


Pig Iron founder Dito van Reigersberg plays nine characters, from a volcanic Salvador Dalí to Harlem blues-singer Victoria Spivey to the ghost of Walt Whitman, in a unique evening of dance-theater that has become one of Pig Iron’s signature works.”


Special Reception & Tickets for Two!


Join us for a special reception following Saturday's performance! An Evening with Pig Iron includes two tickets to the show, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live music. Pig Iron’s Dito van Reigersberg will mingle with guests as flamenco guitarist Jon Banuelos caps off this Spanish night with flamenco singing and dancing.

Tickets for An Evening with Pig Iron are limited,

advance purchase is recommended.

BUY TICKETS



*Saturday's performance is in Spanish.



Show Dates, Times & Tickets

Friday, September 30
8:00 PM

Saturday, October 1
8:00 PM (Performance in Spanish)



Each performance includes a free Pre-Show Mixer.

Friday's performance is followed by a post show discussion.



Advance $20
Door $25

15206 Residents
$15

Students & Artists
$10





Mediante el baile y palabrada hablada, Poeta en Nueva York rinde homenaje al poeta, dramaturgo y director teatral espanol Federico García Lorca, inspirándose en su estancia de nueve meses en Nueva York en 1929.



Unase a nosotros antes del espectáculo en una reunión informal a las 7 pm.



About Pig Iron Theatre Company



Founded in 1995 as an interdisciplinary ensemble, Pig Iron Theatre Company is dedicated to the creation of new and exuberant performance works that defy easy categorization. In the part 14 years the company has created 24 original works and has toured festivals and theatres in England, Scotland, Poland, Lithuania, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Romania and Germany. In 2006,Pig Iron was named Theatre Company of the Year in the Philadelphia Weekly. The company made Philadelphia its permanent home in 1997; though individual pieces are often developed in residency at other theatres or at universities, Pig Iron premieres new work in their hometown of Philadelphia.


Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Avenue

412.363.3000

www.kelly-strayhorn.org



Last of the Line World Premiere at August Wilson Center

August Wilson Center

for African American Culture

Last of the Line

World Premiere
By Samm-Art Williams

Directed by Mark Clayton Southers

@ August Wilson Center



Sept 30, Oct 1, 7, 8, 2011 8 PM

Oct 2, 9, 2011  3 PM

Written by Samm-Art Williams, actor and Tony Award-nominated playwright, the world premiere of Last in the Line bursts with drama and comedy, suspense and candor, laughter and regret, as the descendants of African-American slaveholders and their ancestors take center stage. Told in a stream of consciousness tenor, the play flashbacks from 2005 to the years 1845-75. The story tests loyalties and histories, and forces the modern day characters to examine their own identities, in relation to power, resources and "blood money."


Tickets: $30 / $25 / $20

412.456.6666 or 412.338.8742

Online: www.CulturalDistrict.org



Groups of 10+ Call 412.471.6930



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Interactive Art Exhibition EXTRACTION at the SPACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 26, 2011



EXTRACTION

Guest Curator: Jill Larson

September 23-November 20



Participating Artists:

Ryan Keene, Alexandra Watrous, Matthew Paul Isaacson, Karen Rich Beall, Meghan Olson, Gail Heidel, Delanie Jenkins, Traci Molloy, Chris Craychee, Aimee Manion, Wendy Osher, Ana Kovacic, Tim Kellner, Staycee Pearl, Yuko Oda and Theodore Johnson, Jay Stuckey and Brian Dick, Thommy Conroy and Tommy Bones

PITTSBURGH, PA -- When the SPACE exhibition EXTRACTION commences on Sunday, November 20, it will look dramatically different when from it opens on Friday, September 23. Under the direction of guest curator Jill Larson, visitors to SPACE have a unique opportunity to alter the outcome of an exhibition. EXTRACTION invites gallery visitors to interact directly with, and continually re-shape, the 20,000+-piece exhibition. Visitors are encouraged to not just view the exhibit, but to "extract" pieces of it, and by doing so, the exhibition will be in a constant state of flux, change and loss.

For EXTRACTION, a group of local, national and international artists create 17 works of art; three of the projects are being created by a collaborative team of two artists. Participating artist Delanie Jenkins will be present at SPACE on Thursdays from Noon -3 p.m., September 29 - November 3, to field questions and observe the exhibition’s ongoing, organic transformation.


Guest curator Jill Larson is increasingly active with Downtown Pittsburgh’s thriving art scene. Last year, Larson exhibited the extremely personal large-scale work After the Sky Has Fallen at 709 Penn Gallery. Born in northwest, Pennsylvania. Larson studied art and photography at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, the Atlanta College of Art. Larson completed her studies at Georgia State University, where she earned an MFA. Larson is the founder of Fe Gallery, Pittsburgh, where she worked as the Executive Director and Curator from 2003-2010. She currently works as an independent curator.


GALLERY DETAILS

SPACE is located at 812 Liberty Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District.

Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. -6 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

SPACE is a Project of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and is Free and open to the public

For more information call 412-325-7723 or visit spacepittsburgh.org



EXHIBITION DETAILS

Exhibition runs September 23 – November 20
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Monday, September 26, 2011

BLAST! A Celebration of Movement and Music at Heinz Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 23, 2011



BLAST! A Celebration of Movement and Music

Heinz Hall

October 6 through 9, 2011


Taking the world by storm with triumphant successes in London, on Broadway, across North America and Japan BLAST!, winner of the 2001 Tony Award for “Best Special Theatrical Event,” and the 2001 Emmy Award for “Best Choreography,” will play Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from October 6 through 9, 2011. This tour is part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony and Broadway Across America.

Tickets ($20-$60) are available by calling (412) 392-4900, visiting the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue) or online at www.pgharts.org. For more information about the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh 2011-2012 subscription series, please call (412) 456-1390. Groups of 10 or more may call 412-392-4819.

Astounding audiences around the globe repeatedly since the Emmy® winning PBS performance and the Tony® winning Broadway performances, Blast! is back. Showgoers quickly become fans who return to enjoy and celebrate Blast! over and over again. Along with this ever-growing core following, Blast! attracts to it’s performances newer and newer generations of devotees every time it takes the stage. An event for all ages, Blast! also defies language barriers by performing crowd thrilling instrumental material, making it the perfect touring production.

BLAST!, a celebration of movement and music, almost defies description -- and it has left critics everywhere surprised and delighted. Howard Kissel of the New York Daily News says: “What a cast, what a ‘Blast!’ An exhilarating evening.” Bruce McCabe of the Boston Globe says, “BLAST! doesn’t falter while bridging the categories of classical, blues, jazz, rock n roll, and techno-pop music. BLAST! stands, blows, pounds, marches, and whirls with panache. It sent the full house into repeated bursts of cheering and applause [with] the thrill of seeing sheer virtuosity in a different kind of art form. BLAST! is entertainment of a high order.” And Kevin Nance of The Tennessean raves, “I was helpless in the path of this visual and aural juggernaut, which far outdoes [Stomp and Riverdance] with youthful energy and cocky panache. …I had an absolutely an absolutely marvelous time.”

Born on athletic fields across the nation, BLAST! is a novel art form evolved from the showmanship of outdoor pageantry. A unique experience, BLAST! explodes the genre with the artistry of the theatre. BLAST! is musical spectacle; it is music in motion. Described by Richard Christiansen of the, Chicago Tribune, “‘Blast!’ And a truer word was never spoken. A terrific good time … explosive entertainment. It is indeed a blast.”

BLAST! evolved from the drum corps Star of Indiana, which was founded in 1984 in Bloomington, Indiana, by businessman Bill Cook to benefit young people in music education. The Artistic Director James Mason, is a lifelong veteran of drum and bugle corps and other musical activities. In its initial year, Star of Indiana became the first corps ever to place among the top ten corps at the prestigious Drum Corps International World Championships. Star of Indiana improved each year until it became the World Champion in 1991. Competing against other organizations from the United States, Japan, Canada and Europe, Star’s performances revolutionized the world of drum corps, bringing an ever more sophisticated sense of musicianship, exciting showmanship, and dynamic choreography to this wonderful genre. In 1993, Mr. Mason began shaping the evolution of Star of Indiana from a competitive drum corps into a theatrical show which brings the power, passion and precision of outdoor pageantry to the stage in a musical performance now known as BLAST!

BLAST! on tour consists of 35 members, drawn from the world of outdoor pageantry all across North America. There are over 40 world titles held by BLAST! cast members who comprise three performing sections – the brass, percussion and visual ensembles. The brass instruments are pitched in the standard multi-keys. The percussion section includes drums, mallet instruments and electronic keyboards. The visual element enhances the show by spinning and tossing unusual implements along with the traditional sabers and colorful flags in perfectly synchronized, ballet-like drill.

The physical and musical demands of the production require that the performers be highly trained athletes who are also world-class musicians. Months of intense training prepare the cast. Rehearsing through heat, cold, dust and rain, they produce thrilling performances where athleticism, musical talent, kaleidoscopic movement, and showmanship merge into an art form that is both compelling and entertaining, or in the words of Richard Quzounian of The Toronto Star, “Get your tickets now! BLAST! is nothing short of breathtaking; a free-wheeling fusion of then and now, [it] dazzles the eye, thrills the ear and stirs the spirit. A sure-fire hit.”

BLAST! is produced and booked by Prather Entertainment Group. PBS, the Public Broadcast Service, supports BLAST! with a one hour special program. The official BLAST! cast recording is available on RCA Victor. For further information on BLAST! and the 2011 North American tour, visit www.blasttheshow.com
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Harish Saluja: Progression Tranforms Simple into Art




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 23, 2011


Harish Saluja: Progression

September 23 - November 13, 2011

707 Penn Gallery



PITTSBURGH, PA: While doodling is generally seen as something anyone can do, local artist Harish Saluja transforms seemingly simple drawings into richly intricate and colorful works of art. Saluja’s latest series Progession can be interpreted as an extension of his passion for Asian-inspired art. The abstract expressionistic drawings found in Progression explore Indian music, Raga paintings and Hindu dieties.

About Progression

The Progression paintings are a representation of the changing style and themes of his work over the years. These include:

Mandalas: Mandala is Sanskrit for circle, polygon, community, and connection. It is a symbol of man or woman in the world, a support for the meditating person. It is often illustrated as a palace with four gates, facing the four corners of the Earth. Before the meditating person arrives at the gates, he/she must pass the four outer circles. Saluja builds on this basic discipline and gives it an abstract flavor.

Raga Series: Based on the Indian classical music, these paintings are abstract representations of the moods and emotions that the various ragas evoke.

Contemporary Miniatures: These tiny (5x3 inches) images are often the basis of larger paintings but are complete pieces in their own right.

To see the painting images are online, visit: www.facebook.com/harish.saluja

About Harish Saluja

Filmmaker, entrepreneur and art doyen Harish Saluja is best known in the Pittsburgh art scene for his leadership of Silk Screen, which celebrates Asian and Asian American culture through film festivals, art, dance and music. Saluja’s film The Journey won several awards and was shown in more than 30 film festivals and distributed by IFC (Independent Film Channel). In addition to his nationally recognized artwork, Saluja is co-host of Music From India on Essential Public Media 90.5FM, which is the longest running radio program of its kind in the U.S. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Saluja is 33-year veteran in the publishing industry. Through his latest endeavor Silk Screen, an Arts and Culture Organization, he is building bridges to/from Asia.

ARTnews’ Harry Schwalb once described Harish’s artwork style when he said, “Saluja sees the music's endless patterns – which evolve simultaneously in repetitively strummed layers of tone and rhythm – as like colored threads, woven by the performer into a musical carpet." This is because Harish’s paintings are based upon Ragas and jazz, both types of music that involve a building upon and meshing of different beats.

But this quotation not only describes Harish’s paintings, but his personal life as well. Growing up in the Indian state Punjab, Harish loved the exposure he received of the arts from his mother, who was a singer and writer. As a boy, he would ride his bike in any weather to go to the theater. During his early adult years, he made the decision to pursue a more secure future and attended the prestigious IIT, Kharagpur as a mining engineer major. Harish was already adding the first few layers of his life’s painting on the canvas.

In 1971, Harish moved to New York City. He tried to fulfill his dream of being an artist, but soon found out that this does not always pay the bills. He then made the decision to move to Pittsburgh, where he was told that he would be able to find a job with his engineering background. Once he arrived, he found a job with Measurements and Data Corp. Through hard work, Harish became a co-owner of the corporation.

With a means of living, Harish was finally able to purse his other dream of, as he once put, “changing the world through art”. He created beautiful paintings, many of which have been shown in galleries across the United States. He also started his own film company New Ray Films in 1995. His film, “The Journey” featured two famous actors, Roshan Seth and Saeed Jaffrey; who were also in “Gandhi”. The film received acclaim reviews, the Audience Award for Best Film at the Florida Film Festival and the Best Independent Film award at the Cleveland Film Festival.

Harish’s love of cinema has not ended with New Ray Films. It was expanded and is now manifested within his non-profit organization, Silk Screen. Silk Screen celebrates Asian and Asian American culture through film festivals, art, dance, music, and other events. It is located in Pittsburgh, which Harish believes, will allow others to feel a bond with the city, just as he had.


GALLERY DETAILS

707 Penn Gallery is located on 707 Penn Ave. / Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District

Hours: Wed. & Thurs. 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun.11 a.m.–5 p.m.



707 Penn Gallery is a Project of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and is free and open to the public.
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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Heidi Latsky's GIMP Create Uncommon Magnificence



October 15
8pm
$15

August Wilson Center

A special performance in celebration of FISA foundation’s 100th anniversary!

Heidi Latsky, artistic director and former principal dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance, is a dynamic force in the dance world. Latsky’s GIMP is about beauty—the breathtaking, unexpected sort that is physical, emotional and full of grace. At the heart of GIMP are five trained dancers and five performers with physical disabilities who create an edgy landscape of uncommon magnificence.

Accessibility

A variety of accessibility accommodations will be available. To request an accommodation or information on accessible parking, call 412-456-2670, or email customerservice@pgharts.org.


Ticket availability is limited, so order your tickets today!

To purchase tickets:

Online at TrustArts.org

Call 412-456-2670

Box Office at Theater Square

Groups 10+ Tickets 412-471-6930

Indigo Girls Sparkle with Live Performance of Beauty Queen Sister

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today's date: September 19, 2011




Indigo Girls



Friday, November 4, 2011, at 8 p.m.

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust welcomes back to the Cultural District the venerated singer-songwriting duo Indigo Girls as a part of its CDLive! series. Indigo Girls’ staying power, marked by a successful, 25-year career, is fueled by Amy Ray and Emily Saliers’ poignant songwriting, a loyal fan following and passionate live performances. Indigo Girls’ complex, literate canon of work is heard regularly on 91.3fm WYEP.

The prolific, GRAMMY® Award-winning Indigo Girls are touring in support of their 14th studio recording, Beauty Queen Sister, and will perform at the Cultural Trust’s Byham Theater on Friday, November 4 at 8 p.m. The CDLive! series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Three Rivers Arts Festival (a program of the Cultural Trust) and 91.3fm WYEP, brings outstanding recording artists to world-class venues. This collaboration of non-profit organizations aims to build audiences for new music and cultivate patronage in the Cultural District.

Beauty Queen Sister is an 13-song album that touches on topics as disparate as the 2011 Egyptian revolution (in Ray’s plaintive “War Rugs,” featuring guest vocals by singer-songwriter Lucy Wainwright Roche), the ins and outs of the music industry (“Making Promises,” a defiant, guitar-driven banger also authored by Ray), and the recent massive deaths of Arkansas redwinged blackbrids (“Able to Sing,” in which Saliers cleverly swipes a lyric from the English nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence”). Tackling such weighty matters as tenderly as each intimate love song, Beauty Queen Sister grips from the get-go and crests at the epic “Yoke.” With its centerpiece of hauntingly urgent strings (courtesy of Luke Bulla) and a gorgeously mournful vocal performance by Ray, this spellbinding slow-burner makes for a masterful closing track.”

Tickets ($33.50, $38.50, $43.50) for Indigo Girls on Friday, November 4, 2011, at 8 p.m., at the Byham Theater go on sale this Friday, September 23, at the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue), online at trustarts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Stars and Stripes: An American Story Exhibit Opens at the Heinz History Center


Contact:

Ned Schano
412-454-6382
nschano@heinzhistorycenter.org

Brady Smith

412-454-6459

bmsmith@heinzhistorycenter.org



History Center Exhibition Presents the Story of the American Flag Major exhibit includes a fragment of the Star-Spangled Banner and other items from the Smithsonian, as well as objects from the collection of Pittsburgh native and noted flag expert, Dr. Peter Keim

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 8, 2011 – We pledge allegiance to it, we parade it, and we display it on occasions both solemn and celebratory. The American flag represents the nation and its people, patriotism, and pride, even during times of war and strife.

Next weekend, the Senator John Heinz History Center will open a major exhibition, Stars and Stripes: An American Story, sponsored by BNY Mellon, which details the stories of the people behind the more than 200 year history of our nation’s most enduring symbol.

The 7,000 square foot exhibit, which was developed by History Center museum staff in conjunction with Dr. Peter Keim and historians including Marc Leepson, will open with a special ceremony on Sat., Sept. 10, at 9:00 a.m. which will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. Stars and Stripes: An American Story will include objects, images, and archival materials from the History Center’s collections, as well as items on loan from the Smithsonian Institution, The Warhol Museum, The National Gallery of Art, and private collectors.

 “For more than 200 years, the American flag has symbolized the democratic ideals of our nation and its people,” said Andy Masich, president and CEO of the History Center. “This major exhibition examines the people and events which contributed to the flag’s endurance over the past two centuries, throughout the nation and here in Western Pennsylvania.”

Beginning with the nation’s first flag, Stars and Stripes: An American Story will help unravel the myths and reality surrounding its creation, including the mythical story of Betsy Ross developing the first American flag. In addition to Ross, the exhibit will reveal the stories of Americans who have influenced the flag’s legacy, including:

• Joseph E. Fennimore, a soldier who handmade an American flag using a Nazi flag, a blue dress uniform, and salvaged red fabric while in Germany during WWII

• Michael Strank, Franklin Borough, Pa., resident and one of the soldiers who hoisted the American flag in the iconic image from the Battle of Iwo Jima

• John MacFarland, a Pittsburgh native who took the Confederate Stars and Bars flag from the New Orleans Customs House during the Civil War in 1862

• John Michael O’Cilka, an artist from Cambria County whose “Miners with Coal Police” painting portrays a group of striking coal miners holding an American flag and demonstrates the worker’s appreciation of the freedoms granted in the U.S.

• Jay Apt, a Squirrel Hill, Pa., astronaut who displayed the American flag on his helmet during more than 847 hours (35 days) in space

• Thomas Burnett, a passenger on Flight 93 whose family left five American flags each inscribed with a personal message for him at the Shanksville, Pa., crash site following the terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001.

A Grand Union flag and a selection of 13-star flags from the Keim collection will offer a look at the inspiration for early flags. A fragment of the Star-Spangled Banner, on loan from the Smithsonian, is featured along with a rare fifth-edition sheet music of Francis Scott Key’s “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which eventually became the U.S. national anthem.

Additional sections of the exhibit will examine the flag during times of conflict, as a symbol of pride and power to some and a symbol of oppression to others. A 12-foot Confederate “Stars and Bars” flag will be shown alongside an American flag from the Battle of Bull Run during the Civil War. WWII flags on loan from the Smithsonian include one of the first American flags to enter Berlin following V-E Day in 1945, as well as the Fennimore flag.

Posters from WWI and WWII and an original Uncle Sam costume worn by East Liberty war bond salesman John Peake will show the role of the flag during wartime as the preeminent symbol of our nation, both for our allies and our enemies. Flags representing the Civil War and the civil unrest of the 1960s and 70s will illustrate the flag as a divisive symbol as Americans battled over identity, unpopular wars, and issues of equality at home.

Modern depictions of the flag are also included, such as “Moonwalk” pop artwork from Andy Warhol and a unique lead relief flag created by Jasper Johns.

Throughout Stars & Stripes: An American Story, several interactive stations and video presentations will help bring the symbolism of the flag to life for visitors. Highlights include touch interactives on materials used to create flags, a section on proper flag etiquette and folding techniques, and a recreated grand entrance of the Centennial Exposition hall in Philadelphia.

9/11 Component Includes Items from Flight 93 Memorial

The exhibit includes a special section on the role of the American flag during the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001. Flags and items left at the Flight 93 crash site will be on display, as  well as the clothes worn by WABC New York reporter and Uniontown native Nina Pineda while covering the terrorist attacks at Ground Zero; helmets from the Eureka Fire Company from Stewartstown, Pa., who sent a team to Ground Zero; and pieces of the Pentagon following the terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C.


Stars and Stripes: An American Story is on display in the History Center’s first floor McGuinn Gallery through June 17, 2012.

For updated exhibit information and related events, including photo galleries and videos, please visit www.heinzhistorycenter.org/flags.

The Senator John Heinz History Center is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum is a museum within a museum, comprehensively presenting the region’s remarkable sports story through hundreds of artifacts and interactive experiences for visitors of all ages. The History Center and Sports Museum are located at 1212 Smallman Street in the city’s Strip District, and are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available at www.heinzhistorycenter.org.

# # #

Pledge to Dignity and Respect Campaign

WHO


Dignity and Respect Campaign of Greater Pittsburgh

Chair - Melanie Harrington (Vibrant Pittsburgh)

Co-Chair - Shari Manges (University of Pittsburgh – Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity,and Inclusion)



WHAT






WHEN

Beginning the week of September 19 through October



WHERE

Billboard and bus shelter locations around Pittsburgh



WHY

October is Dignity and Respect Month—as proclaimed by Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in 2009 and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato in 2010.

The Dignity and Respect Campaign is a not-for-profit grassroots organization that promotes inclusion. The call-to-action is the Dignity & Respect Pledge: I will treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Cell phone users who text RESPECT to 94253 will be able to take the Pledge. Other electronic ways to take the Pledge include on the website at dignityandrespect.org or as a Fan of the Campaign’s Facebook page (Dignity and Respect Campaign). The Campaign also is on Twitter @DRCampaign.

More than 60,000 people already have pledged to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Media Availability: To schedule an interview with Melanie Harrington or Shari Manges about the Dignity and Respect Campaign, please contact Melissa Allen at 412.281.0995 or maa@judith-kelly.com





Friday, September 16, 2011

WICKED Cast Members Teach Musical Theater Master Class

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 14, 2011

Contact: grandtheatre@verizon.net



WICKED Cast Members, Ryan Jackson and Dan Pacheco, will teach Master Class at Grand Theatre

WHERE:  Grand Theatre, 207 S. 2nd Avenue, Elizabeth, PA 15037; www.elizabethgrand.com

WHEN:  Thursday, September 22

TIME: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

COST: $25*

CONTACT: Lori Kolodziej, (412) 384-0504; grandtheatre@verizon.net



ABOUT the Master Class: Cast members from the national tour of WICKED, playing at the Benedum Center, Pittsburgh, PA, September 7-October 2, will be teaching a musical theatre master class on Thursday, September 22, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. The class will include dance warm ups, scene work, and stylized movement combination, followed by a talk back with the master class instructors.



Members of the media are invited to attend the master class and take photographs. Interviews with the instructors and students may also be arranged. Please contact Lori Kolodziej from the Grand Theatre.



Master Class Dance Instructors

Ryan Jackson (Wicked - Swing, u/s Chistery) Tours: Cats, Dr. Dolittle, West Side Story. Theater: Goodspeed, Walnut St., Portland Center Stage, Ford’s Theater, Paper Mill, T.U.T.S, K.C. Starlight, Sacramento Music Circus, Radio City, Westchester B’way, City Center Encores. B.F.A-Marymount Manhattan College. Founding member of The Chase Brock Experience, a New York City-based contemporary dance company.



Dan Pacheco  (Wicked - Boq) is excited and grateful to be on tour with Wicked! Regional favorites: Altar Boyz, Zanna Don’t!, Disney’s Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, I Love a Piano, Disney’s Snow White, Four Guys Named José. TV: “117th Annual Rose Parade,” “Hard Times of RJ Berger.” Graduate of New York University; CAP21.



*All proceeds from this master class will support the charity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDSis one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, since 1988 BC/EFA has raised over $195 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States. BC/EFA is the major supporter of seven programs at The Actors Fund, including The HIV/AIDS Initiative, The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic, The Actors Fund Work Program, The Dancers’ Resource, The Stage Managers’ Project and three supportive housing residences.

BC/EFA also awards annual grants to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.

One of the few remaining single screen movie theatres in the Mon Valley, the Grand Theatre has been entertaining audiences for over 100 years. Abandoned and empty for nearly 20 years, Lori and Ken Kolodziej purchased the property in 1997, and spent three years bringing it back to life. This special venue is now host to live theatre, concerts, bands, community events, private parties and movies. Named one of the Top Ten preservation opportunities in Pittsburgh in 2011, this historic theatre is dedicated to serving children and families in the Mon (Monongahela)Valley and Western Pennsylvania.

*****

Pittsburgh, PA: The return engagement of WICKED, Wednesday, September 7-Sunday, October 2, at the Benedum Center (7thStreet at Penn Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh) is a season special, part of the PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh series, a presentation of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Broadway Across America and Pittsburgh Symphony.

The WICKED performance schedule is as follows: Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.; Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, September 8, there will be a 1 p.m. matinee. Tickets are selling fast and many performances are close to selling out. Best availability is for weeknight performances and the Thursday matinee. For ticket information call (412) 456-4800, visit www.pgharts.org, or the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh Community Television Hosts Open House

For Immediate Release



PCTV to Hold Open House

On September 22nd

Pittsburgh, PA -- Pittsburgh Community Television (PCTV) will host an Open House for non-profits and local businesses interested in learning more about PCTV’s low cost production services on September 22nd from 3 – 8 pm. The event will be held at PCTV’s studio at 1300 Western Avenue on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Join us for this open house especially designed for the needs of non-profits and small businesses. Learn more about how we can affordably meet your new media needs. PCTV’s staff will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate our new high definition production capabilities. Light bites and beverages will be served.

Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 412-322-7570.

John H. Patterson
Executive Director
Pittsburgh Community Television (PCTV)
1300 Western Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2030
john@pctv21.org
412-322-7570
http://www.pctv21.org/

Happy Anniversary! 2011 marks PCTV's 25th year in business!

The mission of PCTV is to encourage dialogue, promote media literacy, provide a platform for free speech and build a stronger community through training and by providing local citizens and non-profit organizations with the tools to produce and broadcast programs from their own unique perspectives.







Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Branding and the Customer Experience at Chatham's CWE Think Big Forum

Maxine Clark



Chatham University
Center for Women's Entrepreneurship

6th Annual Think Big Forum

"Branding and the Customer Experience"


Friday, October 21, 2011

7:45 a.m. - Noon

Chatham University, Shadyside Campus

Cost: $45.00


Keynote Speaker: Maxine Clark,

CEO and Founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Panel Topic: "Branding: Boiling it Down to the Basics"

Panelists:

Susan Gregg Koger, Chief Creative Officer and Lead Buyer, ModCloth
Donna Sturgess, President and Founding Partner of Buyology, Inc. and Former Global Head of Innovation, GlaxoSmithKline
Laurie R. Mizrahi, President, Mizrahi, Inc. and Interim Vice President Creative, GNC Corporation


Moderator:



Michele Anne Petruccelli, President, Petruccelli Strategic Marketing Consulting


Forum Agenda

7:45-8:15 AM Networking Breakfast & Check-In

8:15-8:30 Welcome & Keynote Introduction

8:30 - 9:30 Keynote Speaker

9:30 - 9:45 Keynote Q & A

9:45 -10:15 Networking Break

10:15 -10:30 Panel Introductions

10:30-11:30 Panel Discussion

11:30 - 11:45 Panel Q & A

11:45 AM Closing

Wayne's Fourth Sub-Legion Encampment at Woodville Plantation



September 6, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rob Windhorst
412-221-0348
rwindhorst19@comcast.net


QUICK FACTS:

Event: Wayne's Fourth Sub-Legion Encampment

Date: Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18, 2011

Time: Saturday - 5 to 8pm; Sunday noon to 5 pm

Place: Woodville Plantation, 1375 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Cost: $3.00 Per Person



WOODVILLE PLANTATION HOSTS 18TH CENTURY MILITARY RE-ENACTMENT



BRIDGEVILLE, PA (September 6, 2011) - Step back in time at Woodville Plantation as this living history museum presents a special event. On the weekend of Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18, visitors are invited to meet the soldiers of Anthony Wayne's Fourth Sub-Legion of the United States, the troops that defended John Neville's Bower Hill mansion during the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.

Visitors will experience 18th century military camp life as living history re-enactors set up camp and demonstrate Von Steuben's drills from 1794. Events of the day include tactical demonstrations, musket firing, marching and ceremonial drills. Soldiers will discuss what military camp life was like in the first United States Army, circa 1794.

Special hours for the event are Saturday, September 17, from 5 pm to 8 pm, and Sunday, September 18, from noon to 5 pm. Special admission price for the house and encampment tour will be $3.00 per person.

Woodville Plantation, the home of John And Presley Neville, is Western Pennsylvania's link to the late 18th century. Built in 1775, this living history museum interprets life during the period of 1780 - 1820, the Era of the New Republic. Guided tours of the house are available every Sunday from 1 to 4 pm.

Just 7 miles and 15 minutes south of Pittsburgh, Woodville is conveniently located 1/4 mile north of Interstate 1-79 Exit 55 (Kirwin Heights Exit) on Route 50, near the intersection of Thoms Run Road in Collier Township. For further directions or for more information, please visit Woodville's website at http://www.woodvilleplantation.org or call 412-221-0348.





Friday, September 9, 2011

Building Bridges for Business Hosts Welcome to Oz



Pittsburgh, PA – September 7, 2011

Welcome to Oz – Where Small Business and Sustainability Collide

Allegheny County, The City of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University Small Business Development Center, Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University and Building Bridges for Business will host Welcome to Oz – Where Small Business and Sustainability Collide to educate and empower business owners. The third seminar in the SOLD OUT series will be held on October 10, 2011 at the Fairmont Hotel. The key note speaker will inspire attendees and 15+ resources will share strategies to be sustainable and grow their business.

The five organizations partnered and will host the October event and several other events scheduled in neighborhoods in the greater Pittsburgh region. Every event provides access to education and the region’s amazing business resources. Details for the October 2011 Welcome to Oz event are located on http://www.buildingbridgesforbusiness.org/.

These events will allow participants to expand networking opportunities and meet valuable business resources at the same time. Fifteen sustainable and green companies will be on hand to share cash generating/environment saving techniques. Major sponsors include The Pittsburgh Technology Council, The Pittsburgh Business Times, Fireman Creative, c-leveled, Enterprise Rent a Car, Cold Cypress, solutions4networks, Louis Plung and Comcast Business Class. Register for this event at www.buildingbridgesforbusiness.org.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl will be providing opening remarks. "Small businesses are the lifeline of neighborhood business districts and their success and growth is key to maintaining a livable and vibrant City", said Ravenstahl. "Through opportunities like this, we hope to help small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs achieve success by educating them on the many tools and existing programs that are currently available."

The event’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Winslow Sargeant Chief Advocate for Small Business Research and Regulatory Affairs. President Obama appointed Winslow to this role in 2009. His background:

• Entrepreneur/Small business start up owner, Co-founder, Aanetcom—A Fabless semiconductor company in Allentown, PA Company was acquired: for $800M in March 2000 by PMC Sierra

• Government Official: National Science Foundation, Program Director, SBIR/STTR Program

• VC experience: Kauffman Fellow, Managing Director, Venture Investors, LLC (2006-2009)

• President Obama Appointed: Nominated, Chief Counsel for Advocacy, 2009, a Senate-confirmed position
Received Recess appointment, August 2010

"The vision for the Building Bridges for Business community is an environment where entrepreneurs can grow and advance their business, support other business owners, and develop as entrepreneurs giving back to their community," says Building Bridges for Business founder Linda Handley, an entrepreneur, author and business advisor. "We want to bridge the valuable resources in Western Pennsylvania with business owners and residents who want to start a business," says Amanda Wodzenski, President of Building Bridges. Building Bridges for Business was created based on the need Handley and others saw in the area understanding that small and start up business owners have limited finances.

Building Bridges for Business focuses on business growth, promotion, management, and people who want to launch a new business. In the past year, Building Bridges has grown and showcases over 30+ Pittsburgh resources. Building Bridge’s goal is to create an organization that truly serves the "small" business owner or struggling entrepreneur.

There is no fee or yearly membership rate to join as a general member of Building Bridges for Business. That is one of the major factors that differentiates Building Bridges from other business and networking groups. Additionally, Building Bridges has plans to offer educational webinars empowering and educating entrepreneurs throughout the year. The variety of programming, allows Building Bridges for Business to provide value to the greatest number of education and business resources regardless of budgetary and time constraints. Visit www.BuildingBridgesForBusiness.org for a full listing of resource partners, educational opportunities and events.

Linda Handley
Building Bridges For Business
342 South Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Contact: 412.475.9010
info@buildingbridgesforbusiness.org
http://www.buildingbridgesforbusiness.org/

###

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

D.L. Hughley Live at the Waterfront Improv

D.L. HUGHLEY


LIVE AT THE WATERFRONT IMPROV



166 East Bridge Street The Stacks at the Waterfront

Homestead, PA 15120 1-412- 462-5233

September 9 - 11, 2011

One of the most popular and highly recognized standup comedians on the road today has also made quite an impression in the television, film and radio arenas. D.L. was mostly recently heard on the New York airwaves, as host of the morning show on WYKS-FM. DL also serves as a weekly contributor to the nationally syndicated radio show, "The Tom Joyner Morning Show." He is currently working on his first humorous book title.

Known for being astute and politically savvy in true comedian style, D.L. served as host of his own late night talk show on CNN "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News." Proving he could, indeed break news, D.L. was able to uncover startling, news-making comments from such guests as former White House press secretaries Scott McClellan and Ari Fleischer, as well as RNC chair Michael Steele.

A standup comedian to the core, D.L. starred in his own one-hour special for HBO entitled "Unapologetic." The special, D.L.'s fourth for the network, is currently available on DVD. In 2007, D.L. starred on the NBC series "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" and also HBO's "Def Comedy Jam", as well as the BET series "S.O.B: Socially Offensive Behavior".

As the star and producer of his namesake television show that ran on ABC and UPN "The Hughleys," D.L. is also well known as one of the standout comedians on the hit comedy docu-film The Original Kings of Comedy. A veteran of numerous talk show appearances D.L. switched the tables in 2005, hosting his own talk show on Comedy Central "Weekends at the DL." He is a regular on the late night talk show circuit, including always-memorable appearances on "Real Time with Bill Maher," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Conan." He is frequently requested, and has even guest hosted on such shows as, "The View" and "Live with Regis & Kelly."

In addition, D.L. has headlined several comedy specials including "D.L. Hughley: Going Home," "D.L. Hughley Live", "Shocked & Appalled" and the recent "Unapologetic".

D.L.'s first love, always has been been, and always will be, standup comedy. "From the minute I first walked onstage and picked up a microphone," he says, "I knew that it was what I was meant to do."

Don't be left out call (412) 462-5233

to purchase your tickets.

Tell them you saw it on The Soul Pitt!


Order tickets online at www.improv.com


Get your Tickets Today!



Showtimes for D.L. HUGHLEY

Friday, Sept 9th - 8pm and 10pm

Saturday, Sept 10th - 7pm and 9pm

Sunday, Sept 11th - 7pm



To purchase tickets or for more info visit www.improv.com

or 412-462-5233 (Pittsburgh Improv Box Office)


The Pittsburgh Improv Box Office is Located at

166 East Bridge Street, The Stacks at the Waterfront, Homestead, PA 15120



Adam and Anthony Perform Joint Concert at the Byham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 6, 2011




Adam & Anthony



Thursday, September 22 at 7:30 pm

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street



Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, stars of the iconic Broadway musical Rent, will perform a joint concert on Thursday, September 22, 2011, at 7:30 pm at the Byham Theater. The concert is a part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “A smart one-two punch of a concert, this equalized double bill not only allowed each of these two accomplished performers to strut their personal best individually…and gave their fan base the revered songs they came to hear” (Broadway World).

The two Broadway veterans return to the concert stage combining music from Rent with performances from individual careers. Combining songs from the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical with stories of their friendship and time working on the production, Rapp and Pascal are thrilling the audiences with their up-close-and-personal concert. In addition to the selections from Rent, Rapp and Pascal will be presenting individual material as well. Rapp’s selections include familiar pop songs as well as original material from his award-winning Off-Broadway show Without You. Pascal will be performing original material, as well as modern arrangements of classic Broadway tunes.

Adam Pascal joined the cast of the then Off-Broadway production of Rent in 1996 in the role of Roger Davis, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award and won Drama League and Obie awards. He went on to star in Broadway productions such as Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and the Emcee in the Broadway revival of Cabaret. He recently appeared as Freddie Trumper in the Chess concerts in London, also featuring Josh Groban and fellow Rentco-star Idina Menzel, which were broadcast to PBS and released on both CD and DVD. As a solo artist, Pascal has released three albums: Model Prisoner, Civilian, and his latest, Blinding Light.

Anthony Rapp began acting very young, making his stage debut at the age of nine. Best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in Rent, his additional, numerous stage credits include You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Hedwig and the Angry Inch; and Bright Lights, Big City. In 2000, he found success as a solo artist when he released his debut album, Look Around. Rapp has also worked as an author, publishing Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. Rapp can be next seen in the film 17 Photos of Isabel, opposite Natalie Portman, Lisa Kudrow, and Jeffery Dean Morgan.

Tickets ($20.00, $30.00, $40.00)for the September 22, 2011 performance of Adam & Anthony at the Byham Theater may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.TrustArts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.
###

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Gallery Crawl Celebrates RADical DAYS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 7, 2011

Contact: Name, Company, Phone, Email



The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District celebrates RADical DAYS

Friday, September 30, 2011

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Fall Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District takes place on Friday, September 30, 2011, from 5:30 - 9 p.m. This dynamic arts open house, celebrating Allegheny Regional Asset District’s RADical Days, showcases a variety of participating venues with cutting-edge art exhibitions, live bands, DJs, performances and hands-on activities.

The Gallery Crawl events are free and open to the public. For more information and a map of the Gallery Crawl events, visit pgharts.org or call 412-456-6666. The Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District is sponsored by First Commonwealth with media support from City Paper and 91.3fm WYEP.

The following is a line-up of Gallery Crawl highlights and happenings:

Wood Street Galleries

601 Wood Street

Parallel Universe

New installations that invite viewer participation by Lawrence Malstaf, Arnold Dreyblatt, Laurent Mignonneau and Christa Sommerer. This exhibition investigates duel technologies that run parallel and never overlap but share a common vision.

Special performance of Shrink, by Lawrence Malstaff at 7:00pm and 8:00pm.



SPACE

812 Liberty Avenue

EXTRACTION

In this highly interactive exhibit, twenty local, national and international artists exhibit 17 artworks. The gallery will be filled with over 20,000 free pieces of art, created with the intent that viewers will interact with the artwork by "extracting" a piece, placing the gallery in a constant state of flux, change, and loss.



In this highly interactive exhibit, 20 artists make artworks each containing 1000+ pieces. Viewers will be encouraged to alter the artwork, therefore the gallery will be in a constant state of flux, change, and loss. Guest Curated by Jill Larson.



Music by Broccofeather (Jonathan Chamberlain)



WYEP Music Station

WYEP Live Remote Broadcast outside of SPACE



Tito and Exchange Way

Cell Phone Disco

A surface that visualizes the electromagnetic field of an active mobile phone. Several thousand lights illuminate when you make or receive a phone call in the vicinity of the installation.



Shaw Galleries

805 Liberty Avenue

MASK: A Celebration of Ethnographic Arts

An exhibit featuring over two-dozen hand-carved indigenous masks from Mexico, Guatemala, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast of Africa.



Trust Arts Education Center

805-807 Liberty Avenue

Peirce Studio (Lower Level):

Black Violin with Drums 7:30pm to 8:20pm

Two classically trained musicians and their DJ create the ultimate synergy between classical and hip-hop music.



4th floor:

Art Out of the Box Final Exhibition

A one-night-only showcase of the works and documentation from the summer 2011 Art Out of the Box Mobile Studio Project. Please visit artboxpittsburgh.com for more information about the project.



Harris Theater

809 Liberty Avenue

Harris Theater Short Films and Photography Show

Pittsburgh Filmmakers presents locally made short films shown on a loop throughout the evening, and the photo show "Latnemirepxe (latent exposure)" by David Burtt Harris



929 Liberty Avenue

Shake it & Make it with Handmade Arcade!

Stations will be set up for visitors to make and take their own crafty creations:

+ Greetings from Pittsburgh! - Handmade Postcards

+ Say you – Say Me! - Personalized Pin-back Buttons

+ ReFab & ReFunk ! – Junk Flowers and Mini Sculptures



937 Liberty Avenue

2nd floor: CANstruction

View entries to the national CANstruction competition designed by teams from local architecture/engineering firms. Cans to be donated to the Pittsburgh food bank at the end of the exhibit. Bring a can to “vote” for your favorite!



943 Liberty Avenue

Path: Installation by Elin Hansdottir

A special maze-like installation incorporating light and space. Held over from “Long are the Days, Short are the Nights,” an exhibit at Wood Street Galleries.



August Wilson Center for African American Culture

980 Liberty Avenue

MLK Community Mural Project - Art over Generations

This new exhibit chronicles some of the recent work by the MLK - Moving the Lives of Kids - Community Mural Project, a program where the production of public art is used to strengthen communities through youth and families.



Also on view: Romare Bearden, the Last Years: Photography by Frank Stewart, selections from the Charles "Teenie" Harris collection, and the permanent exhibit, REMIX.



CAPA Gallery

111 Ninth Street

Summer Studies

An exhibition featuring new work produced during the summer by Pittsburgh CAPA high school students.



Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School

925 Penn Avenue

Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School Open House

Grand Opening CELEBRATION: Guided tours on the half-hour; Printmaking Workshop; BBQ fundraiser.



Live Music by: Sounds of Steel



Urban Pathways 6-12 Gallery

914 Penn Avenue

NEVER AGAIN

Photo and essay exhibition documenting three Urban Pathways educators’ recent experience traveling through Holocaust sites in Poland, including Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz concentration camps.



Future Tenant

819 Penn Avenue

Your Place at the Banquet

Focusing on issues of food security in a direct, experiential, and confrontational manner, this show will challenge the audience to examine the fragile structure of the world's food security system and to locate their hierarchical position within it. Curated by Rose Clancy.



Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

810 Penn Avenue, Suite 200



Art on the Walls

Celebrate the opening of this bi-annual exhibition for selected Pittsburgh artists.



L’enfant Lofts at 806 Penn

806 Penn Avenue

Looped

Tom Mosser has been developing his "Loop Technique" since childhood. He alternates using both hands when creating Loop works which focus on circular motions with an emphasis on vertical lines and strokes.



709 Penn Gallery

709 Penn Avenue

Universal Expressions: Movement in Multiple Dimensions

Painting and Sculptures by Thomas Bigatel and Peter Johnson



707 Penn Gallery

707 Penn Avenue

Progression

Veteran artist Harish Saluja’s latest series of abstract expressionist paintings explore his interest in Indian music Raga paintings and Hindu deities.



Katz Plaza

7th St. and Penn Avenue

First Commonwealth Hospitality Spot: Enjoy refreshments and giveaways courtesy of First Commonwealth, and look for the First Commonwealth Blitz throughout the District!

Live Music by Clinton Clegg and the Backstabbing Good People



Backstage Bar

655 Penn Avenue

Live music by The Wreckids. 5:30pm to 7:30pm.



Arthur Murray Dance Studio**

136 Sixth Street (above Melange Bistro) NOT UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE

Free Dance Lessons and Demos: Tango at 7:30pm. Swing at 8:00pm. Merengue at 8:30pm.



Verve Wellness

142 Sixth Street, Third Floor

kNOT Dance Company

Rolling performances by kNOT Dance Company, previewing part of its new work, "Destroy.”



ALL INFORMATION AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE! Visit www.trustarts.org for updated and more detailed information

Lead Sponsor: First Commonwealth, Other Sponsors: City Paper, WYEP 91.3 FM, Kreider Printing, Table Magazine



All official Gallery Crawl locations will be marked with a Cultural District Stop sidewalk sign.



**All locations are wheelchair accessible unless otherwise noted



###



Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Late Night Cabaret Series September Schedule Announced

For immediate release…




The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces September Schedule for its

Late Night Cabaret Series

Thursdays - Saturdays at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

www.pgharts.org



PITTSBURGH…The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust continues to bring nightlife downtown with plenty of high-energy programming in the Late Night Cabaret series. For more information or hi-resolution pictures on any Late Night Cabaret event, please contact Randy Kirk at 412-325-6766, or at kirk@pgharts.org.



Scheduled Events – September 2011



Thursdays Pittsburgh Improv Comedy Jam 10:00pm / $3.00

Hundreds of laughs. Dozens of scenes. One word suggestions. Watch Pittsburgh’s best improv comics mix it up every week in this endlessly inventive and surprisingly sophisticated comedy series!



Fridays Salsa Fridays 10:00pm / $5.00

The Cabaret at Theater Square becomes one of the city’s hottest late night dance floors every Friday from 10pm until 2am. DJ Jeff Shirey, DJ Carlton, DJ Paul Mitchell and other guest DJs spin the hottest Latin dance music to keep the crowd moving.

**September 30th features Guest DJ Greg Fitzpatrick, “The Latin Leprechaun,” from Lancaster, PA



Saturdays



Sat. September 17th 10:00pm / $5.00

Mystery’s Most Wanted presents…

Montana Marie Gets Gunned Down at Three!

C'mon down to the Horny Toad Saloon in the frontier town of Camel Rock. Catch an eyeful as a saloon girl, bandito, deputy, and singing cowboy try to figure out who gunned down the toughest and hairiest sheriff in the old West!



Sat. September 24th 10:30pm / $5.00

Pittsburgh Improv All*Stars

This improvisational evening features the best troupes, special guests and performers from Thursdays’ Pittsburgh Improv Jam



Sat. October 1st 10:30pm / $5.00

The John McIntire Dangerously Live Comedy Talk Show

A comedic exploration of stuff that matters... and some stuff that doesn't... featuring Pittsburgh's Top Alternative Comic Gab Bonesso and other opinionated punks. Disclaimer: The views expressed in the advertising and performance of The John McIntire Dangerously Live Comedy Talk Show are not necessarily those of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, its officers, employees or agents. Performance may include adult subject matter and language. Enjoy!



** There is no Late Night Saturday scheduled for September 10th.



Late Night Cabaret

Ticket holders from any earlier show downtown gain free admission (based on seating availability; must show ticket stub for free admission).

All Late Night Cabaret events are 21 & Over

Late Night Happy Hour, from 9:00-11:00pm!


Contact Randy Kirk at 412-325-6766, or kirk@pgharts.org for more information or hi-res pictures.

September Slate of Live Performances at The Backstage Bar

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces

September entertainment for the Backstage Bar

Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

www.pgharts.org



PITTSBURGH…The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust continues to program live music in the Cultural District every month. The Backstage Bar features live performances in the early evenings from 5:00-7:30pm – perfect for catching live music after work or before a show!



There are no cover charges for any of these shows. For more information on any act, please click on the calendar date on www.pgharts.org, or contact Randy Kirk at 412-325-6766 and at kirk@pgharts.org.



Live Music in the Backstage Bar – September 2011

All acts are 5:00-7:30PM



Wednesday, September 7

Jason Kendall (Jazz/Rock)


Thursday, September 8

Boilermaker Jazz Band (Jazz)


Friday, September 9

Todd Miller Band (Jazz/Pop)


Saturday, September 10

Don Aliquo, Sr. (Jazz)


Wednesday, September 14

Jimmy Z (Jazz/Standards)


Thursday, September 15

Heather Kropf (Folk/Pop)


Friday, September 16

Phat Man Dee (Jazz)


Saturday, September 17

Erin Burkett (R&B/Standards)


Wednesday, September 21

Tucker Flythe (Jazz)


Thursday, September 22

Boilermaker Jazz Band (Jazz)


Friday, September 23

Jimmy Sapienza (Jazz/Standards)


Saturday, September 24

The Flying Dutchmen (Jazz)


Wednesday, September 28

Bill Heid (Jazz)


Thursday, September 29

Eve Goodman & Tracy Drach (Folk/Jazz)


Friday, September 30

The Wreckids (Pop)


Saturday, October 1

Jared Wilson (Jazz)

Contact Randy Kirk at 412-325-6766, or kirk@pgharts.org for more information.



Sophocles' ELECTRA at Pittsburgh Public Theater

Contact Margie Romero, Communications Manager at Pittsburgh Public Theater


412.316.8200 ext. 707 or mromero@ppt.org




Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents

Electra

by Sophocles

adapted by Frank McGuinness

The fate of a family is revealed in 90 minutes of theatrical dynamite, directed by Ted Pappas.


Catherine Eaton Plays Electra

PITTSBURGH (September 1, 2011) Pittsburgh Public Theater launches its 37th season with Electra, written by ancient Greek master Sophocles and adapted by Frank McGuinness. After highly successful productions of Medea and Oedipus the King, Greek native Ted Pappas will now direct Electra. It runs September 29 – October 30, 2011 at the O’Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater’s home in the heart of Downtown’s Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org. Electra is presented by First Niagara with production sponsors Jim and Electra Agras and Production Underwriters Jim and Kathe Patrinos.

Lisa Harrow/Clytemnestra

Electra brings to life the myths of ancient Greece while it tells a timeless story of one family’s tragedy. As the play begins, Orestes (Michael Simpson), his friend Pylades (David J.M. Bielewicz), and his faithful servant (Edward James Hyland) secretly return to the palace of Mycenae. Years before he had been sent into hiding after the murder of his father, King Agamemnon, by his mother Clytemnestra (Lisa Harrow) and her lover Aegisthus (David Whalen). Despite the passage of time his sister, Electra (Catherine Eaton), can’t get over their father’s death. Their other sister, Chrysothemis (Catherine Gowl), and the women of Mycenae (The Chorus: Glynis Bell, Shinnerrie Jackson, and Amy Landis), tell her to pull herself together. But that’s hard in the presence of her regal mother who proclaims her righteousness. Will fate give Electra her revenge? That answer will not be revealed until the play’s shocking conclusion.

The design team for Electra is James Noone (Scenic), Gabriel Berry (Costumes), Kirk Bookman (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound). Ruth E. Kramer is the Production Stage Manager and Fredric H. Orner is the Assistant Stage Manager.

About the Playwright

Sophocles was a leading dramatist during the Athenian Golden Age. Born in 495 BC near Athens, Greece, he was beloved in his day and is remembered more than two millennia later for his great works of tragedy. Sophocles wrote well over 100 plays but only seven have survived intact: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. He is appreciated by modern audiences for his treatment of the individual and the complex issues he addresses. He died peacefully when he was over 90 years old, around 406 BC.

Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents

What: Electra

When: September 29 – October 30, 2011

Performance Schedule

Tues. through Sat. at 8 pm (except Tues., Oct. 25 when the show is at 7 pm).

Sat. at 2 pm (except Oct. 1 & 8).

There will be an additional 2 pm matinee on Thurs., Oct. 27.

Sun. at 2 & 7 pm (except Oct. 30 when the final show is at 2 pm).

Press Night and Opening Night are Thursday, October 6.

Ticket Prices

$28.75 to $60.75.

$15.75 for students and age 26 and younger with valid ID.

For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org





They Might Be Giants Return To Pittsburgh with New Show

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: September 1, 2011



They Might Be Giants

Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 8:00 PM
Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street





Brooklyn’s avant-garde alternative rock pioneers They Might Be Giants return with a brand new show to regale Pittsburghers with their boundless energy, witty lyrics and catchy melodies. The beloved cult band will celebrate the release of their brand new 18-song album Join Us and their 30th year anniversary. They Might Be Giants will perform on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, at 8:00 p.m., at the Byham Theater. The concert is presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Opus One Productions, as part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.



Tickets ($32.75) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets, please call group sales at (412) 471-6930.



Founded in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell, the unlikely success story of They Might Be Giants began with their Dial-A-Song service and the low budget videos which broke them into heavy rotation on MTV. A key part of the early ’80s explosion of visual art, music, and performance art of New York’s East Village, Flansburgh says of the band, “we’ve heard avant-garde music, we’ve heard popular music… that’s given us the notion that we can be as original as we can be and still make worthwhile songs.” They Might Be Giants writes, records and tours continuously, and has been involved in numerous television and film projects, including an appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, winning a GRAMMY for their theme song for Malcolm In the Middle and many more, as well as creating an on-going podcast. John Flansburgh and John Linnell will be joined on tour by Dan Miller on guitar, Danny Weinkauf on bass, and Marty Beller on drums.



They Might Be Giants new album, Join Us, is the electrifying mix of clever, beguiling songwriting and studio mastery. Sometimes strange and always original, the album finds Flansburgh and Linnell on a creative roll, making music that positively swarms with innovation. “We’re flying our freak flag super high on this one,” says Flansburgh. As the band turns away from the family oriented projects that dominated their output in recent years, Join Us is a return to the singular sensibility that made them an instant phenomenon. The album was created in the brand new private studio of their long-time collaborator Patrick Dillett and features inspired electronic excursions to blazing barns-stormers performed by their explosive live band. They Might Be Giants both recall and reinvent pop songwriting; they’re in a league with modern masters like Elvis Costello, Sparks and XTC, echoes of whom you can hear in Join Us. As Flansburgh notes, “We’re rock people — we grew up in this hypnotizing moment when there was nothing more persuasive than popular song. It was so good, it stole the minds of an entire generation.”
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Thursday, September 1, 2011

WICKED Lottery for $25 Orchestra Seats





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Today's date: August 31, 2011

Contact: Veronica Corpuz, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

WICKED announces lottery for $25 seats

September 7 - October 2, 2011 - Benedum Center

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, which will be performing from Wednesday, September 7 through Sunday, October 2, at the Benedum Center. Each day, 2½ hours prior to show time people who present themselves at the Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh will have their names placed in a lottery drum and then thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of orchestra seats at $25 each, cash only. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person.

WICKED, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Disney’s Enchanted, Academy Award winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), is based on the 1995 best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire. The musical is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues)and features musical staging by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed…). WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One – born with emerald green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

WICKED features set design by Tony Award winning Eugene Lee (Ragtime,Show Boat, Candide, Sweeney Todd), costume design by Tony winner Susan Hilferty (Spring Awakening, Into the Woods, Assassins), lighting design by Tony nominee Kenneth Posner (Tony Award winner for The Coast of Utopia, Hairspray) and sound design by Tony Meola (The Lion King). Stephen Oremus is the show’s music director. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn, with dance arrangements by James Lynn Abbott.

WICKED has “cast quite a spell” (Washington Post) throughout North America, breaking box office records in every city that it has played, including Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Boston to name a few.

Called “a cultural phenomenon” by Variety, WICKED continues to thrill audiences around the world. There are currently seven productions of WICKED worldwide, including two North American tours, a Broadway production, London production, a Japanese-language production, a German-language production and Australian production. A Dutch-language production of WICKED will open in November 2011.

The return engagement of WICKED, Wednesday, September 7-Sunday, October 2, at the Benedum Center, is a season special, part of the PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh series, a presentation of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Broadway Across America and Pittsburgh Symphony.

The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.; Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, September 8, there will be a 1 p.m. matinee.

Tickets are selling fast and many performances are close to selling out. Best availability is for weeknight performances and the Thursday matinee. For ticket information call (412) 456-4800 or visit www.pgharts.org.

*As a note to all calendar listing editors, the title of the show is WICKED (not WICKED: A New Musical or WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz).
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